Ring-spreading machine.



J. MERRITT & W. A. SAWYER.

RING SPREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 11 1.4. 1912. RENEWED MAY 25.1915.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

zim %M COLUMBIA co., WASHINGTON u c .J. MERRITT & W. A. SAWYER.

RING SPREADiNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4. 1912. RENEWED MAY 25.1915.

1,161,92 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. MERRITT & W. A. SAWYER.

RING SPREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-4, 1912. RENEWED MAY 25.1915.

1 161 002, Patented Nov. 16, 1915. 9 9 I 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3' 1 M Q W m I? q N a: I l m N 9 1 N fifi l 3; Q s O h 9% w 0 J. MERRITT & W A. SAWYER. RING SPREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1912. RENEWED MAY 25. 1915.

1 1 61 ,002. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

s $HEETSSHEET 4.

ml=lll I Elm IIFIE J. MERRITT & W. A. SAWYER.

RING SPREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-4.1912- RENEWED MAY 25. 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

W Ulllllil m @FWZ JOSEPH MERRITT, or HARTFORD, AND'WILLIAM A. sAwYsn; or wns'r HARTFGRID,

oonnncrrour, ASSIGNORS, BY manor AND MESNE nssrsnnnnrs, are THE HART- FORD LOCK RING COMPANY, or An-rron-D, oonnncrronr, A CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT.

RI1\TG-SPREADING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 1%, 1&15;

Application filed April 4, 1912 Serial No. 688,489. Renewed May 2 5,"1915. Serial No. 30,465.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we; Josnrrr MnRRrr'r and TVILLIAM A- SAWYER, citizens of the United States residing at Hartford and Vest Hartford, respectively, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ring-Spreading Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine which is designed to receive split rings made either of tubing or solid stock, and to separate their ends and shape them for subsequent manipulation. I I

The Object of the invention is to provide a simple and rapid machine which will operate on rings, particularly small ringsmade of light tubular stock, in such manner as to spread them and separate the ends very accurately.

In carrying out this invention, the rings are fed by suitable mechanism and one at v a time dropped to an expansible section of the feed-rool between jaws which centralize them on the expansible section. The rings are then clamped from the rear so as to keep them central and while thus retained the expansible sectionis enlargedand the rings spread the desired amount into a holder. Then the separated ends of the rings, by the centralizing jaws, arebent inward awlittle and are carried back from the feed-rod, where they are released'so that they will drop from the machine.

Figurel of the accompanying drawings shows a plan of a machine which embodies the invention. Fig.2 shows a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 shows on larger scale a vertical section of apart of the machine on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 -3 on Fig.1. Fig. 4: shows a plan of the bed and movingparts with a split ring in the position occupied when it first drops to the spreading mechanism. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the parts in the positions occupied when the ring is centralized by the movable jaws on each side. Fig. 6 is a view of the same withthe mechanisms advanced to'the positions occupied when the ring is'clamped from'the rear. .Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the parts in the positions occupied when the endsof the ring are spread apart. Fig. 8 is a view showing the ends of thespreadring bent inward by the jaws at. the side. F ig. 9 is a View showing the side jaws carrying the spread ring back against a stop so that it may drop and make way for a following ring. Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the, parts on the plane indicated by the dotted line 1010 on Fig. 4. big. 11 is a similar view taken on the planeL-Lindicated by the dotted line 11-11 on f-lg.

The rings 1, which may be formed of tubing 01'. wire, desirably the former, are by suitable means deposited one upon the other on' the rod 2, which is supported vertically by a bracket 3 that is attached to the top of the bed 1 ofthe machineJ (Fig. 2). This rodhas a feather 5 on one side which enters between the open ends of the split rings so as to hold them all in the same relative .rod 7 which is slightly larger than but practic'ally is a continuation of. the feed-rod 2. The discharge rod-has a wing Swhich is held by a bracket '9 that is fastened to the machine frame. (Fig. 3).

The rings are fed down the rod 2 by gravity and assisted :for' increasing the rapidity and sureness of the feed by the revolving 1 brushes 10. These brushes are mounted on arborsll: which are. supported by bearings at the top of the standard 12. The arbors bearintermeshing gears 13 and on one ofthe arbors is a wheel 14 which is bolted to a wheel 15 on the driving shaft 16 upon which is the driving pulley 17. The driving shaft is held in bearings at one end of the bed, and on the endopposite' from the driving pulley it carries a cam 18. By means? of the brushes which are rotated by this mechanism, the rings are crowded down on the feed-rod 2 to'the retaining shoulder 53 at) the top of the discharge rod 7. (Figs.

Extending across the bed and movable longitudinallyin a'suitable guide-way is a slide 19. This slide is moved in one direction by the cam 18, the periphery of which engages the roll 20 at the end of the slide.

'A spring 21 arranged in a recess in the bed thrusts the slide back'and vholds. the

roll against the cam. i

Z-Secured to and movable with the slide is a block 22, and fastened on the'top of the block is, a plate This plate has a longi tudinalslot 24 with grooves 25in the side walls of the slot. (Figs. 3, 7, 10)

Pivoted to the block 22 by screw studs are jaws 27 I These jaws are normally:

thrown out by springs 28, (Fig. 10), coiled on the pivot screws: As the slide is moved bythe cam from the position shownin Fig.

l 'toward the left, theouter edges of these jaws engage Wedges 29 that are adj ustably "forced toward each other.

fastened'on the top of the bed, and are 5 extends between the ends of thering and the jaws move up equal distances, the ring by these three points, the feather and two areforcedfagainst the'back of the ringso as to clamp, it to thefeed-r od'. (Fig. 6).

" These clampin'g'j'aws are mounted on a bar 3li that is loosely held' between the block 22 the plate 23. (Fig. 3). Fastened to this bar is a rod 32,1on which is a spring 33Zthat" thrusts'b'etween'a collar 34 fast on the rodiand washers 35 that bear against a plate 36 that .i fastened to the .bed and bridges the'slide. movement of the slidepermits'the bar to be thrust forward by the spring 33 so that the jaws will clamp the ring against the feed-rod as described. A pair of nuts 37 on the threaded end of the rod 32 are adjusted to limit the forward movement of the rod and the bar bearing the jaws. W (Figs: 3, '5). As the slide carries the plate past the feed-rod, the sides of the ring enter the grooves 25 in the walls of the slot 24' in this plate. (Fig. 7 I

The feed-rodis cut away so as to be semicylindrical .just above "the shoulder where thering lodges. Occupying this recess and completing the cylinder, and practically forming a continuation of the rod, is a semicylindrical stud 38 which projects from a plate v39 that is secured to the block 40. (Figs. 3, 6, 7 This stud i sslotted vertically to receive .the lower end ofthe feather 5." The block is movable'on the slide 19, being held by gibs 41', (Fig. 11), and fastened to it is a rod 4:2. On this rod is a spring e3 that thrusts betweenthe back of the block 40'and the plate 44' that-is fastened to the bed and bridges the slide. On the threadedend of the rod between this bridgeplate and ayvall 45 fastened at the 611d ofthe slide area pair of nuts 46 which limit the ficarries the semiecylindrical As the feather.

(Figs. 3, 7,10); The. block and plate with the v theouterend of the rod. 4L2 are a pair ofnuts 4-7 which, when the slide is moved way over, are engaged byithe ,wallee insuch manner as to draw back the rod and blockwhich stud. spring 43 normally holds the semi-cylindri: cal stud in the recess in the feedrod. VVhenthe slide ismoved so that the wall 45 engages one of the nuts 47, the semi-cylindrical stud is drawn out of the recess in the feed-rod in such mannerthat it practically expands the feed-rod and spreads the ring and separates'the free ends into the'grooves in the walls of the slot in the plate that is carried by the slide, which grooves holdthe sides of the ring straight as shown in Fig. 7.

being away from the fixed wedges are thrown open by their springs. The ring having been spread and the endssufliciently separated, the slide starts back under the influence of the main spring 21, the driving cam being timed to permit this. As the The At this time, the pivoted centralizing' jaws slide moves back, the spring 13 forces the semi-cylindricalstud baek intothe recess 1n the feed-rod. When the slide has gone back a, sufficient d stance to carry the plate 23 almost off from the ring, the. pivoted jaws on the sides again engage the fixed wedges and are swung in so as to slightly bend towa'rd each other the separated ends of the ring. 7 (Fig. 8). As the slide continues to move bac'lnthe plate is carried away from the rmg'that has been spread, and at the same time the clamping'jawsare carried back from the ring. The movement of the centralizing jaws with the slide, which are still holding the spread ring, carries the ring a slight distance back so that it is beyond the shoulder 6 and is free to drop down the discharge rod out of'the machine. A bracket 48 is fastened to the top of the bed of the machine so as to project over the slide. (Figs. 3, 10.). This bracket supports a thin j'ilateriil that "extends down between the clamping jaws, (Figs; 3, 9 This plate engages the rear of the spread ring when the slide is moved back and the pivoted "jaws arefc'arrying the 'ring' off from the shoulder, so asto strip. the ring from the clamp aws and 1nsure that'lt drops down the dlscharge rod. The wing 8,'wh1ch'1s used to attach the discharge rod 7 to the supporting bracket 9 that is fastened to the frame, causes the rings to all drop down the same, that is, this wing insures that the spread ends of the rings as they pass down remain in line. (Figs. 2, 3). As fast as one ring is spread and drops down, a ring above drops into its place and is spread. This machine is very rapid. There are com paratiyely few operatingparts and they are so arranged that the rings arespread and feed-rod with a feather for causing the rings to feed with all of the ends in the same line, a movable part forming a continuation of a section of the feed-rod, and mechanism for separating said movable part from the feedrod for spreading the rings.

3. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with a ring retaining shoulder, an eXpansible section above said shoulder, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod .and spreading the rings, and means for dislodging the spread rings from said shoulder. 1

4. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with a transversely movable expansible section, means movable toward opposite sides of the exteriors of the rings for centralizing the rings on said expansible section, means for holding. the rings centralized, and means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and spreading the rings.

5. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with an expansible section, means for clamping the rings to said expansible section of the rod, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and spreading the rings, and means for holding the rings and limiting the amount of spread thereof.

6. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with an expansible section, means for clamping the rings to said expansible section of the rod, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and spreading the rings, means for holding the rings and limiting the amount of spread thereof, and means for bending the ends of the expanded rings inwardly.

7. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with an expansible section, means for centralizing the rings on said expansible section, means for holding said rings centralized, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and spreading the rings, means for holding the rings and limiting the amount of spread thereof, and means arranged to cause the centralizing means to bend inwardly the ends of the rings.

8. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with an expansible section, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and thus spreading the rings, a shoulder for retaining the rings, and brushes for crowding the rings on the feed-rod toward the retaining shoulder.

9. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod, a discharge-rod practically in continuation with the feed-rod and providing a retaining shoulder at the top of the discharge-rod and bottom of the feedrod, an expansible section above said shoulder, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and spreading the rings lodged on said shoulder, and means for dislodging the spread rings from said shoulder and allowing them to feed down the discharge-rod.

10. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod, a movable part forming a continuation of a section of the feed-rod, mechanism for separating said movable part from the feed-rod for spreading the rings, a clamp for holding the rings against the feed-rod in the plane of theseparable ring spreading part, a holder for engaging the outside of the rings and limiting the amount of spread, means for bending inwardly the ends of the spread rings, means for carrying the spread rings back from the feed-rod after they have been spread, and a stop for limiting the backward movement of the rings and causing them to be ejected from the machine.

11. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with an expansible section, means for enlarging the expansible section of the rod and separating the ends of the rings, and a grooved plate for holding the sides of the rings and preventing them from undue spreading while the ends are being separated.

12. A ring spreading machine having a vertical feed rod with a section between the ends of the rod transversely movable, means for opening said transversely movable. sectionof the rod and separating the ends of the rings, and means engaging the sides of the rings to prevent undue spreading while the ends are being separated.

13. A ring spreading machine having a feed-rod with an expansible section, a guiding feather adapted to extend between the ends of the rings, and means adapted toengage the sides of the rings and in cooperation with the feather centralize the rings on the feed rod.

JOSEPH MERRITT. WILLIAM A. SAWYER. Witnesses:

CHARLOTTE S. HULL, CHARLES H. S'roRRs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

